1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an improved container for holding beverages, food, and other items that require storage at lower than ambient temperatures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beverages, food, medical supplies, drugs and other heat sensitive products requiring storage at lower than ambient temperatures have long been kept in insulated "coolers" or "chests." While these coolers or chests have certainly evolved over the years, none of the prior art designs include the necessary features for effectively keeping contents at lower than ambient temperatures by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,611 to Quigley dated Sep. 30, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,735 to Newkirk dated Oct. 29, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,589 to Englehart dated Oct. 10, 1989 each address the issue of preventing melted ice from coming into contact with the contents of the cooler and thereby contaminate the contents or allow the contents to become soggy. Though each of the before mentioned patents provides a novel solution to the expressed problem of preventing melted ice from coming into contact with the contents of the cooler, it is not an object of any of the before mentioned inventions to improve the effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat. Furthermore, the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,735 requires that the entire cooler be placed in a freezer until the refrigerant material within the cooler is frozen. This is a disadvantage in that the typical cooler user does not have a freezer large enough to accept even a relatively small cooler, and that freezers are typically unavailable in locations where coolers are often used such as during remote weekend camping trips.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,044 to Putnam dated Aug. 27, 1985, a more effective "hot" or "cold" food storage container is described which could selectively take advantage of the physical movement of heat or cold. Basically, this food storage container is designed so that a cooling source is placed above the food storage compartment for transferring cold in a descending direction while in the cooling mode of operation. Alternatively, a heat source is placed below the food storage compartment for transferring heat in an ascending direction while in the heating mode of operation. Though it is an object of this invention to improve the effectiveness of a cooler in keeping contents hot or cold, this food storage container does not attempt to improve the effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
Yet another invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,312 to Schlosser dated Feb. 12, 1985 is designed to maintain products at selected hot or cold temperatures through use of solution filled, slab-like containers and a chest or housing. This invention requires that the slab-like containers, which provide the source of heat or cold, be frozen or heated by an external source such as a freezer or oven. While these slab-like containers are removable from the chest or housing and may therefore be easily placed into a typical freezer or oven, freezers or ovens are not usually available during remote weekend camping trips thereby making use of such a container impractical. Furthermore, it is not an object of this invention to improve the effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,588 to Lowe dated Nov. 5, 1996 is similar in operation to that described in U.S. Pat, No. 4,498,312. Specifically, both coolers employ the use of solution filled, slab-like containers or gel-packs to maintain products at desired temperatures. Here again, the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,588 would require that the gel-packs, which in this invention provide the source of cold, be frozen by an external source such as a freezer. While these gel-packs are also removable from the chest or housing and may therefore be placed into a typical freezer, freezers are not usually available during remote weekend camping trips thereby making use of such a container impractical. Furthermore, it is not an object of this invention to improve the effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
The picnic cooler described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,088 to Steffes dated Nov. 12, 1991 incorporates a novel lid design that includes an integral hinge that separates the lid into portions. The lid can then be removably attached to the cooler container body and access to the cooler container body can be obtained through either portion of the lid. With the exception of the novel lid design and function, the overall cooler is constructed in a manner that is well known in the prior art. That is, the essentially planer lid is hollow, providing very little insulative value, and the cooler container body is comprised of an inner shell, an outer shell, and a low conductivity insulating material. The purpose of this cooler design is to improve the method of operating the cooler by allowing access to the cooler container body in multiple ways, and without the use of hinges or latches. This invention is not intended to improve the efficiency of the cooler in keeping contents at lower than ambient temperature, nor is it an object of this invention to improve the effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
As the above prior art descriptions suggest, there are many difficulties associated in effectively and efficiently storing heat sensitive products, particularly beverages and food items, at lower than ambient temperatures. This is especially true when such items must be kept at lower than ambient temperatures for greater than a twenty-four hour period, and when such items are located in places where no external power source is available. When this is the case, such as during a remote weekend camping trip, the most practical and reliable means for keeping heat sensitive products, particularly beverages and food items, at lower than ambient temperatures is by storing the items in a cooler, and by using ice for maintaining lower than ambient temperatures within the cooler.
Ice is often used as a source of coldness for keeping items in a cooler at lower than ambient temperatures because ice is readily available for purchase, and is relatively inexpensive. It should be noted, however, that the cumulative expense of purchasing ice over extended periods of time, such as during a weekend camping trip, could be significant. Furthermore, it can be disruptive and inconvenient for the cooler user to break away from the pleasures of camping to visit a store or market to purchase additional ice. For these reasons, a cooler that is more effective and efficient at keeping contents at lower than ambient temperatures would be beneficial to consumers.
Most importantly, none of the before mentioned prior art forms attempt to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a cooler by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the present invention.